Telephone handset guard



Aug. 14, 1951 R. J. HUTSON TELEPHONE HANDSET GUARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1949 INVENTOR. H0559 72/ fiurso/v Aug. 14, 1951 R. J. HUTSON 2,564,262

TELEPHONE HANDSET GUARD F iled Ju1 22, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O INVENTOR- 42 P086??? J f/u rsoxv I V I :E

G 5 I 771 mm Wm ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED STATES 4: Claims.

This invention relates to a telephone guard, and more particularly to a spring guard for securing the hand sets of hand telephones to the proper cradle therefor against inadvertent or accidental removal.

v It is an object of this invention to provide a spring'clip for hand set telephones of the general Monophone-type to prevent the removal of the hand set by small children, and for holding the hand set on the base or support against accidental displacement therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide a telephone hand set guard which is of a springclip type which may be applied to the base or pedestal in a manner which requires no modification of the base or re-work thereof, and which may be readily removed from the hand set and base, leaving them in their original condition.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a telephone hand set guard of this kind which may be readily manufactured at a low cost by simple manufacturing means, as stamping and fabrication, the formation of each guard unit being of a unitary nature which requires no assembly or adjustment, either initially or during and after operative use.

A further object of this invention is to :provide a spring-clip hand set guard of this kind which is applicable in its several forms for atprovide a spring clip which is covered with a suitable coating to prevent scratching or other damage to the telephone pieces While providing for the spring-clip attachment to the supporting means and the spring-clip engagement with the hand set for removably securing the hand set on the base. v

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a front elevation of a portable hand telephone having a telephone hand set guard constructed according to an embodiment of my invention; I

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the hand telephone shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the hand set guard removed from the telephone units;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the blank from which the hand set guard is formed;

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of telephone hand set guard constructed according to an embodiment of this invention for attachment to a second type of hand telephone;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the telephone base and hand set guard shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a rear elevation, partly broken away, of the modified form of telephone and hand set guard;

Figure 9 is a front elevation of the modified form of hand set guard removed from the form of the telephone assembly shown in Figures 6 to 8;

Figure 10 is a transverse section taken on the line ill-l8 of'Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the modified hand set guard removed from the'telephone.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings, the numeral H3 designates generally a conventional form of hand telephone including a, base member II and a removable hand set 12 engageable thereon. The base member H is formed with a substantially conical base portion 14 tapering upwardly to form a substantial pedestal or supporting column I 5 on the upper end thereof. A cradle it is fixedly secured, or preferable formed integrally with, the upper end of the pedestal l5 and extends outwardly therefrom on the opposite sides thereof. The cradle [6 includes a pair of transversely-spaced-apart cradle-forming arms or members I! at each end thereof for receiving therebetween the handle portion is of the hand set 12. The communications switch I9 is slidably supported in the cradle it and engages in the upper end of the pedestal 15 to be depressed when the hand set I! is engaged in the cradle. The lowerside of the handle I8 is engaged with the upper side of the switch'member IQ for opening the switch in in substantially conventional manner.

A telephone hand set guard 20 formed according to an embodiment of this invention is adapted to be clampingly engaged on the pedes- ..tal i5 and engageable over the upper side of the cradle it for resiliently securing the handle it? of the hand set Ii! in its nested position within the cradle H.

The hand set guard 29 is preferably formed of a single sheet of substantially resilient metal or other suitable resilient material which is bent to the desired shape to be more particularly described hereina-fter, and particularly shown in its blank form in Figure 4 of the drawings.

The blank sheet 2| from which the hand set guard 26 is formed is initially stamped into a fiat strip, as clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings which includes a substantially rectangular upper portion 22 and a pair of outwardly-extending fingers or bars 24 on the opposite side of the lower end thereof. A vertical or longitudinally-extending bar or arm 25 is formed on the lower end of the rectangular member 22 between the transverse bars 24 and a pair of outwardly-extending fingers or clamping elements 26 are formed on the extreme lower end of the supporting bar 25. The supporting bar 25 will constitute the main supporting member or connection between the upper handset clamping element, to be described hereinafter, and the lower base or pedestal-engaging member.

After the blank 2I has been bent to the desired shape, as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the upper portion or member 22 is dipped into a solution of rubber or other suitable resilient material to define an outer coating 21 on the member 22.

The upper portion 22 of the blank 2I is bent into a downwardly-opening, bowed, resilient clamping member 28 having a downwardly and forwardly-extending entrance lip 29 on the forward end or side thereof. The outwardly-extending fingers or arms 26 are bent into a substantially cylindrical configuration for defining a split clamping member or element 3|] formed with forwardly and outwardly-inclined entrance lips ,3! on the split ends thereof. The clamping elements 26 on each side of the connecting bar or arm 24 define a pair of vertically-spaced-apart split clamping elements which are engageable about the upper end of the pedestal I5 of the telephone I on the re pective upper and lower sides of the bead 32 which is formed inte rally with the pedestal I on the outer periphery thereof, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings,

In the use and o eration of the telephone hand set guard 20 described above, the clamping member 30 is initially engaged about the pedestal I5 on the base II and below the cradle I6. The upwardly-extending arm 25 is positioned on the rear side of the base member I I and extends upwardly above the up er level of the cradle I6 and the upper ends of the upwardly-extending arms or fingers Il of the cradle. The pedestal I5 is initially slid between the split ends of the clamping fin ers or elements 26 to be positioned within the clamping member 30. The clamping jaw 22 on the upper end of the connecting bar or arm 25 is disposed over the cradle I6 for engagernent over the outer surface of the handle I8 of the hand set I2. The outwardly-extending stabilizing arms 24 fixed on the hand set guard 20 below the clamping jaw or element 22 are adapted to be positioned within the cradle IS on the inner side of the pair of cradle-forming fingers IT.

The clamping member 30 is adapted to be releasably or removably engaged on the pedestal I5, but it is intended that when once applied to the telephone I9, the hand set guard 20 will be permitted to remain thereon for an extended period of tim.

In the use of the hand set I2 on the telephone I ii having the hand set guard 20, the handle portion I8 is adapted to be engaged under the lip 29 for raising the clamping jaw 2| to permit the insertion of the handle I8 between the cradleiorming members I! and the resilient jaw member 2| will press the hand set I2 downwardly into engagement with the switch l9. For removing the hand set I2 from the cradle I6, the hand set will be rotated about the axis of the handle It for resiliently pressing the jaw 28 upwardly and thereby permitting the slidable removal of the hand set I2 forwardly over the forwardmost cradle-forming elements H.

In Figures 6 to 11, inclusive, there is shown a modified form of this invention wherein the hand set guard 40 is formed for engagement with a modified form of telephone M. The telephone 4|, is formed as a rectangular-type having a. substantially rectangular base 42 and a pyramidal pedestal or upper base 44. The upper portion of the base 44 is formed with a rearwardlyopening recess 45 through which the fingers of a person may be engaged for carrying the telephone 4I about as desired. A depending ledge or shoulder 46 is formed on the upper portion of the upper base 44 and extends downwardly on the upper side of the recess 45. A ledge 45 constitutes a finger grip behind which the fingers of a person may be engaged while carrying the telephone 4! for holding the telephone against slipping from his fingers. The upper portion of the base or pedestal 44 constitutes the bottom portion of a cradle 41 on which the hand set 48 is adapted to be seated. The cradle 41 includes a pair of transversely-spaced-apart, upwardly-extending fingers or lugs 49 on the 0pposite ends thereof between which the handle portion 53 of the hand set 48 is adapted to be engaged for restraining the hand set 48 from sliding movement from the cradle 41.

The hand set guard 45 is formed for engagement within the recess 45 and below the ledge 46 to be extended over the cradle 41 for supporting the hand set 48 thereon. The hand set guard 40 is formed with a lower clamping element 50 for engagement with the base 44 within the recess 45 and an upper clamping jaw 5| for engagement over the intermediate portion of the handle 53 on the hand set 48.

The lower clamping member 50 is formed with a pair of spring-pressed jaws 52 and 54 connected together by a bight portion 55. A downwardly and rearwardly-extending edge 56 on the rear edge of the lower clamping jaw 52 is adapted for engagement with the upper surface of the recess 45 for clampingly securing the hand set guard 4t] to the base 44. The connecting member 56 between the lower clamping jaw 52 and upper clamping jaw 54 is arcuate in configuration extending inwardly of the recess 45 and the upper clamping jaw 54 is downwardly ofiset from the extreme upper end of the connecting member or bight portion 55. The upper clamping jaw 54 is adapted to be seated on the bead or depending bar 46 and the connecting bar is engaged with the clamping jaw 54 being spaced upwardly therefrom inwardly of the tranverse bar or finger grip 46.

The upper clamping jaw 5| is formed integrally with the connecting bar 51 extending upwardly from the outer or rear end of the jaw member 54, and is engageable over the handle 53 of the hand set 48. A pair of outwardly-extending stabilizer bars 58 are formed integrally with the connecting bar 5! for engagement within upstanding fingers or lugs 49. A downwardly and forwardly-inclined entrance lip 59 is bent forwardly from the extreme forward end of the clamping jaw 51 to provide for the engagement of the handle 53 of the hand set 48 therebelow when it is desired to engage the hand set in the cradle 41.

The use and operation of the hand set guard 40 described above is substantially the same as the use and operation of the hand set guard 26 previously described; the resilient clamp 50 being engageable with the base 44 and the resilient clamping jaw 5| being engageable with the hand set 48 for removably supporting the hand set thereon and for holding the hand set from inadvertent or accidental removal from the cradle 47. The upper portion of the hand set guard 49 is also covered with a suitable rubberized or resilient and flexible covering 60 for protecting the hand set 49 from being scratched or other wise marred by its continual engagement and disengagement with the resilient clamping jaw 5|.

As the square base model of the Monophone base is in the most current and widest use today, it is felt that the telephone hand set guard 50 described above will be most widely accepted.

I do not means to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a telephone having a base including a cradle having laterally spaced forks and a hand set having a handle adapted to rest removably in and between the forks, of a clamp comprising a spring having a lower end securably engaging a portion of said base below said cradle and an upper end formed as a downturned hook engaging over the handle of the hand set, said upper end of the spring being tensioned to hold the hand set in place in said forks by means of said hook, said hook being positioned between said forks, a portion of said spring between its lower end and said hook having laterally projecting arms positioned within said forks and engageable along a side of the hand set handle.

2. The combination with a telephone having a base including a cradle having laterally spaced forks and a reduced neck beneath said cradle, and a hand set having a handle adapted to rest removably in and between said forks, of a spring having a lower end and an upper end, clamping means on said lower end of the spring securably embracing said reduced neck, a downturned hook on the upper end of said spring positioned between said cradle forks and engaging over the hand set handle, said hook being downwardly tensioned to hold said hand set in place in said forks, said spring having laterally projecting arms intermediate said upper and lower ends 6 positioned within said forks and engaging along a side of the hand set handle.

3. The combination with a telephone having a base including a cradle having laterally spaced forks, the back of said base being formed with a recess including a bottom wall, a vertical wall, and a top wall, a depending ledge at the rear end of said top wall, and a hand set having a handle adapted to removably rest in and between said forks, of a spring having a lower end portion shaped to conformably and expansively engage the bottom, vertical, and top walls of said recess and having a channel portion embracing said ledge whereby said lower portion is positively maintained in said recess, said spring having an upper end portion formed as a forwardly downturned hook engaging over the hand set handle, said hook being downwardly tensioned to hold the hand set in place in the cradle.

4. The combination with a telephone having a base including a cradle having laterally spaced forks, the back of said base being formed with a recess including a bottom wall, a vertical wall, and a top wall, a depending ledge at the rear end of said top wall, and a hand set having a handle adapted to removably rest in and between said forks, of a spring having a lower end portion shaped to conformably and expansively engage the bottom, vertical, and top walls of said recess and having a channel portion embracing said ledge whereby said lower portion is positively maintained in saidrecess, said spring having an upper end portion formed as a forwardly downturned hook engaging over the hand set handle, said hook being downwardly tensioned to hold the hand set in place in the cradle, said hook being positioned between the cradle forks, and laterally projecting arms on an intermediate portion of said spring positioned within said yokes and extending along the rear side of the hand set handle.

ROBERT J. HUTSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 789,519 Zeisinger May 9, 1905 1,066,786 Bielitz July 8, 1913 1,530,180 Holmes Mar. 17, 1925 1,849,277 Casbarro Mar. 15, 1932 1,895,656 Gadke Jan. 31, 1933 1,983,443 Dureska Dec. 4, 1934 2,072,851 Bailey Mar. 9, 1937 2,194,772 Sengebusch Mar. 26, 1940 2,215,860 Sengebusch Sept. 24, 1940 2,215,874 Geinger Sept. 24, 1940 2,326,591 White Aug. 10, 1943 2,518,554 Kirby Aug. 15, 1950 

